3 Audits That Will Help You Maximize Your Network You are who you're around, which is why you should conduct an audit of your personal and professional network.
By Jason Womack Edited by Dan Bova
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Have you ever considered auditing your personal networks? Sounds odd, right?
You are who you're around. So if the people in our lives hold that much weight in the overall trajectory of our existence, it's safe to say that we need to be taking honest and thorough looks at these networks. More specifically, it's important that we specify which of these individuals are people of influence. These are the people that make up your support team. These are the people that inspire and motivate you to be the best you can be, day in and day out.
Auditing your personal networks is essential and necessary in order to build a solid foundation of people on your support team.
Perhaps you feel like the people you count on for support aren't showing up in the way you'd like or maybe you are beginning to feel disconnected and less motivated due to lack of communication with individuals in your support network.
Here are three types of personal network audits you can do today, in an effort to maximize your support team. Pinpoint at least four individuals in each category to focus on. Choose wisely, as these people will soon become not only your support team but also your greatest asset.
Related: How to Network Effectively at Events
Audit 1: Find coaches and mentors.
These are the people you look up to. The people in your life that offer great advice and guidance who you know you can count on to move you forward - professionally or personally.
To maximize this network, choose one of the four individuals, and ask them if they would be willing to grab a cup of coffee with you once a week for the next five weeks to discuss a particular project or process you are working on that you would love to discuss and mull over together.
After those five weeks, you will be able to walk away with new ideas and new ways of thinking. Use this time to get to know these people professionally and personally. Then, keeping the network open and alive, move to the next individual, and begin connecting with them by setting up a time for coffee or to chat.
Related: The Right Way to Network on Social Media
Audit 2: Find your inner circle.
These are the people you spend the most time with, either at work or outside of work.
They are the daily people in your life. Your co-workers, your peers, your friends and your family.
What are these people talking about? What are they looking at? What are they complaining about?
We can not forget that the people we spend the most time with directly influence us in almost every aspect of our lives. They have the ability to influence our view of the world.
Is your inner circle influencing you in a positive way? Are they supporting your goals and dreams? Answering these questions truthfully is necessary to maximize your personal network and establish your support team.
Related: How to Build a Million-Dollar Network
Audit 3: Find your inspiration.
These are the people in your life that you may or may not have met yet, but they influence you by their actions and with their information. These can be authors, artists, online bloggers - anyone.
Choose four people, and get to know them as well as you can. Don't just wait for the information to come to you. Go get it.
Seek these individuals out. If one of your inspirations is an author or journalist, buy everything they have written. Set up a Google alert, and subscribe to all the magazines that they write for. By doing this you are continuing to feed yourself with information that inspires, encourages and motivates you at all hours of the day.
The people that make it through your personal network audit and continue to influence you in a positive way are the people who are going to change your life. Maximize these relationships. These people make up who you are and more importantly, who you will become.
